Tag Archives: indigenous

Blanka Amezkua, Heal, Heal My Little Heart at the NYBG

heal heal my little heart photo by gail worley
All Photos By Gail

Sana, Sana Mi Corazoncito/Heal, Heal My Little Heart (2026), draws flowers from the Codex de la Cruz Badiano (1552), the earliest known book on herbal medicine from the Americas. It was compiled and illustrated by indigenous physician Martin de la Cruz, and Latin scholar Juan Badiano, both faculty at the Collegio de Santa Cruz in Tlateloco, the first school of higher learning for indigenous peoples in the Americas.  The book features 185 color illustrations and blends indigenous knowledge with some European medical concepts.

heal heal my little heart close up of flower and bus photo by gain worley
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A Beginner’s Guide to Plant Medicine and Holistic Healing Practices

pounding dried flowers with mortar and pestle
Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels.com

The search for deeper healing has led many people to explore practices rooted in ancestral wisdom. Plant medicine has gained attention as individuals look for ways to address emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being beyond conventional methods. These traditions have been practiced for generations in regions such as the Amazon rainforest, where indigenous communities have long used natural substances for healing and insight. Peru, in particular, is known for preserving these traditions, offering a setting where nature and culture remain closely connected.

As interest grows, it becomes important to understand not just the practices themselves, but the intention and responsibility that come with them. A thoughtful approach allows individuals to engage safely while gaining meaningful personal insight.
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Modern Art Monday Presents: Yelthadaas By Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas

yelthadaas by michael nicoll yahgulanaas photo by gail worley
Photo By Gail

Canadian artist Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas (b. 1954) named his ongoing series Coppers from the Hood — to which Yelthadaas (2010) belongs — for the shield-like totems, or coppers, that Haida chiefs traditionally exchanged during potlaches. These are communal feasts that formed the basis of the pre-colonial economy on the Northwest Pacific Coast, and they’re still held today.
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Cannupa Hanska Luger’s Attrition in City Hall Park

cannula hanska luger attrition sculpture 1 photo by gail worley
Photos By Gail

For Cannupa Hanska Luger (b. 1979)  the Bison is a symbol of Indigenous resilience and sovereignty. The mass slaughter of North American bison from 1845 to 1895 by settlers of European descent took place for profit, dominion over land and westward expansion. The strategic removal of this vital source of food, clothing, shelter and spiritual reverence for the Great Plains Native American populations forced their assimilation into western culture. It was also an ecological disaster with long lasting effects.
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Modern Art Monday Presents: Trade By Jaune Quick-To-See Smith

trade by jaune quick to see smith photo by gail worley
Photos By Gail

Trade (Gifts For Trading Land With White People) (1992) is the first painting, in which Native American artist Jaune Quick-To-See Smith depicted a trade canoe, a subject she frequently returns to. Here, Smith uses the painted canoe as a vehicle for examining the history of exploitation in this country, which she underscores with collaged photocopies of old photographs, zoological illustrations, and clippings from newspapers and magazines – many from the publication of her reservation, Char-Koosta News.
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